Wardrobe trunk



July'ZZ, 1930. s. P. CRAGIN WARDROBE TRUNK Filed Feb. 18 1929 2 Shoots-Shoot 1 sol R .7? an BY M ATTORNEY Patented July 22, 1930 GEORGE P. CRAGIN, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON YJAR-DROBE TRUNK Application filed February 18, .1929. Serial No. 340,909.

This invention relates to improvements in wardrobe trunks.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a trunk of this type having a back structure 5 and a plurality of openlng sections hinged thereto to independently swing into difl'er-i ent positions, one of said sections being a stabl'llzlng section.

In this connection, it is a feature to provide one of the opening sectlons with a shell-like extension so that said section will afford a full length wardrobe compartment that may be closed against the back structure torender both inaccessible from the exterior or freely opened for access to either the back structure or the opening wardrobe section.

A further feature consists 1n a novel form of cover which 1s formed of lunged sections is stationary, said cover also functioning to lock the ward-robe section. closed either when 25 the trunk ism translt or whenthe user is leaving the room.

A further feature'resides in a stabilizing section that-is adapted to engage the floor to stabilize the trunk, irrespective of the position of the wardrobe section, and which is also capable of housing or enclosing the extension of said wardrobe section when the trunk is locked for transit.

The invention has many other features and objects which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and which will be more particulan. 1y pointed out in and by the appended claims. In the drawings: a f Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation looking from the lock side of the trunk and showing the same closed and locked for transit.

Fig. 2, is a view in frontelevation looking at the openings section front of the trunk.

Fig. 3, is a view in elevation looking at the hinge side of the trunk." Fig; at, is an enlarged view in front elevation similar to Fig. 2, with a portion of the cover and the-stabilizing-section' shown open. is and the opening wardrobe section closed.

Fig. 5, is a similar'view showing the wardrobe section swung into an open position.

Fig. 6,1s a sectional view on line 6-6 of 5, with the stabilizing section closed. Fig. 7, is a sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 5. a 3

Fig. 8, is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9, is a View of a container or shoe box detached and-shown in end elevation.

Fig. 10, is a View in front elevation of the lower portion of the shoe box.

Fig. 11, is a fragmentaryview of the upper portion of the trunk on a' scale shown in Figs. 1 to 3, witha portion of the cover swung open and illustrating the tray partly withdrawn. Fig. 12, is asimilarview with the cover swung into a further opening position.

13, is a plan view showinghow the stabilizing section functions.

Like characters of reference'designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

' As illustrated, 1 designates what I will term the back structure and I have shown the same containingan equipment ofdrawers indicated at 2 1:0 6, and a topmost tray 7.

This tray may be stationary,if desired, but,

I have shown itslidable so that it can be Withdrawn thesaine as a drawer; as shown in F5 g. 1-1. It is a feature of the invention that none of the drawers need 'beindividuaily locked or provided with any locking device, as will later appear. The disposition ofthe drawers in the back structure 1, is novel in the sense that the latter is normally provided with an effective preponderance of weight over the opening sections to thereby enhance stability.

of the trunk when the interior of the latter is accessible, as will later appear.

In order further to increase theeiiectiveness of such weight preponderance,'the novel cover is mounted wiolly on the back structure andwill now be described.

Referring'more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 11 and 12, 8 designates a narrow permanent cover portion which is disposed rearwardly or nearest the back 9, of saidstruc-ture 1. A handle 10 is attached .togportion 8, so that a baggage-man can readilyslip his hand into Oil the handle and carry the trunk on his back. An intermediate cover port-ion 11 is hinged at 12, to said permanent portion 8, in offset relation to the uncture of the opening sections, with the back structure, as indicated by uncture line 13. The cover portion 11 is advisa-- bly provided with male dowel members 14 adapted to fit into female dowel members 15 and 16, on opposite sides of the line of juncture 13. These dowels take the stresses off from the hinged connections. To the forward side of intermediate portion 11, is hinged at 17, a frontv cover portion 18, which may also have male dowels 19, adapted to socket in female dowel members 20. It will also be noted that the hinged juncture 17 is in offset relation to the line of juncture 13.

I will next describe a very important feature of the invention, the full significance of which will later appear.

From Fig. 2, it will be seen that the front portion 18, has a locking means 20, whereby the cover is, or can be locked to the wardrobe opening section and this locking means permits me to use the usual hasp locking devices for the opening section and the back structure, as will later appear. Further, by means of this arrangement, I can lock the opening section closed against the back section while the trunk is in a hotel and when the user is out of the room, wholly independently of any locking of the trunk as a whole, as for transit.

I have indicated a foldable support 21, in Fig. 12, which is similar to the usual lid support used on various cabinets, for holding the cover in an open position.

Reference will next be made to an opening section of the opening structure that is adapted to coact with the back structure in forming the trunk.

An opening section, which, in the present construction, is the wardrobe section, is designated at 22, as a whole, and as shown, said section 22 is the upper of two sections of which the opening structure is composed. Said section 22 comprises an outer wall 23, a hinge wall 24 and a locking wall 25. Said hinge wall 25 is connected with the back structure 1, by hinges 26 so that said opening section 22 can swing on said back structure about a substantially vertical axis. The wall 25, and the corresponding side of the back structure, are equipped with trunk hasps, as indicated at 27, which can be manually fastened and unfastened. The lock 20, of the cover, serves to lock the opening section 22 in the closed position as shown in Fig. 4.

Said section 22, is reduced in height to accommodate the cover, as indicated at 28, and its upper end is open except when closed by said cover. The interior of said section 22 is equipped with the usual clothes hangers 29, and the lower end of said section is indicated at 30, and in the present construction, the lower end, as regards the side walls 24 and 25,

is inclined downwardly, as shown at 31 and 32, for a purpose that will presently appear. Thus it will be seen that the section 22, is less than the full height of the trunk.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a wardrobe opening section of full trunk length and in the present construction, I provide the lower end of section 22 with a shelllike extension whereby a full length wardrobe chamber will be afforded. As shown, said extension is preferably of metal and the same consists of an outer wall 33, which may be secured to the inside face of wall 23, as by means of screws 34, and side walls 35 which form a substantial U-shaped cross section, as will be seen from Fig. 6. The side walls 35 are slightly curved, as shown, to provide space for re-inforcen'ients for a stabilizing section that will be later described. Said back and side walls 33 and 35, preferably terminate in a bottom wall 36, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

In order to avoid the expense of equipping the drawers 2 to 6 with individual locks 1 provide means whereby said drawers will be seurely held in retracted positions when the wardrobe section is closed against the back structure.

As shown, such means is in the form of drawer holding strips 37 which project inwardly from the walls of the wardrobe section 22, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7, said strips being secured to said walls as indicated at 38, in the latter figure.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a stabilizing opening section, which, in the present construction, is also an enclosing and primary locking and holding section, and the same will next be described in detail.

Said opening section has the same cross section as the wardrobe section and comprises an outer wall 39, a hinge wall 40, a locking wall 41 and a bottom wall 42. I preferably stiffen the junctures of the front and side walls by filler strips 43, as clearly shown in F '6, and the shell extension is shaped correspondingly, as will be seen in said figure. Hinges 44 connect said section with the back structure, and as will be seen from Fig. 13, one leaf of each hinge is thickened so that said section cannot be swung outwardly be yond the position shown in said figure, whereby said section will function as a stabilizing section for the trunk. It will be readily understood that if the stabilizing section could be swung outwardly into parallel relation with the back structure, said sect-ion could not perform any stabilizing function.

The top of said stabilizing section is open and it will thus be seen that said section is not adapted to act as a container but primarily as an enclosing section for enveloping the shell extension of the wardrobe section both as regards its outer area and its lower area as it will be seen that the stabilizing secinn tion-fits flush with theupperopening section and against the back structure. As will be seenin Fig. 2', the upper edge 44", of the outer wall 39, is horizontal and the upper edges 45 and 46 are inclined correspondingly to the lower edges of the upper opening-section 22. Thus, by slightly tilting the closed trunk in the direction of the arrow, in Fig. 1, the lower or bottom portion of thestabilizing sectionis slightly" lifted from the floor and is easily swung into anhpen position; After such opening adj ustnient, the upper or wardrobe section 22, may be freely swung open or closed, just a'door may be onits hinges.

I will next call attention to a very important function of the stabilizing section in its relation to the wardrobe section'in locking and unlocking the trunk, and at this point, I desire to emphasize the point that while I have referred to the loweropening section as the absence of such stabilizing function as it is with such function included. I

What I will term the master or primary lock, and which may be of any approved for the purpose, is indicated at 47, the same being, in all probability, a key lock. It will now be clear that wheii'the lower section is locked to tl e back structure, and encloses the shell extensionof the wardrobe section, the

latter cannot be opened; Hence, the ward robe section need not be secured to the back structure by key looks, but need only, in an abundance of precaution, be secured by h-asp' looks, as shown. 7 r

Before entering into a deta led description of the operation of the trunk, I will next d'escribe an important feature relating to a con-- tamer.

I have shown a container which is usually used as a shoe box'which includes a bottom '3 wall l8, end walls 49,11 top wall 50 and a back wall 51. A cover 52, hinged at 53, is

formed from a portio'n'of the front-wall 54, as

Means is provided for removably mounting the container or shoe box on the outer face of one of the drawers of'the back structure, and

C I preferably mount the boxon the lowermost ceive saidextension 57, as clearly shown in' Fig. 8. End abutments 59, as shown in Fig. 6, serve to maintaln the box properly 'cen-' terecl. A bolt socket 60, is mounted onflthe the front of the box andon the bottom'there: i

of, I may provide-shortlegs '63, so that the box will' be self stable when removed from the drawer 2 and disposedon the floor,-' asshown in Fig. 9. However, access may" behad to the box without removingit, through the cover '52, and if desiredfthedrawer 2, itself,'wi*th the box the-'reon, may be slid open to afford access to-theinteriorofsaid drawer,

From. Fig. 6, it will be seen-thatthere is ample clearance between the box and the wardrobe extension sothat lowerportio'ns of the longest garments may freely extend to the bottom of the wardrobe section without interference from the interposed shoe box.

Having now described the structure of my improved trunk, I will nextdescribe the manner in-which it operates. i

Assuming that the trunkis locked and is disposed ina room where the user desireseto gain access to the interior, he will first apply his key to the primary lock- 47, to unlockthe latter. Then by slightly tilting the trunk in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 1, the primary or stabilizing-section, which is the lower section, maybe easily swung open'as shown in Fig. 4, and alsoin'Fig. 13. As this section engages the floor, and is at an angle to the parallel, with respect toth'e back structure, the remainder 'of the trunk will b'e stabilized and held upright notwithstanding the v fact thatthe Wardrobe portion overhangs the bottom of thebackstructure and would hence normally throw the trunk forwardly, inthe absence of the stabilizing section, or some form of stabilizer. Further, after the-stabilizing section has once been opened, it will re main open as long as the trunk is in the room, 1 as-therewill' be no necessity of closing this section. A

Still referringto Fig. 4, it will be seen that with the cover closed and secured by lock 20, i which will probably be a keylock, the entire interior of the trunk is wholly inaccessible from the exterior and the usermay freely leavethe room of his hotel knowing that his trunk is locked;

If the user should merely desire access to the tray 7, he can unlock the lock '20, and either raise the frontsection 18, of the cover, as shown in Fig. 11, and withdraw the tray 7, if the latter is slidab'ly mounted, or if it is stationary, he can elevate thecover and su port it-by the break joint arm 21, as shown in Fig. 1-2, to gain access to thetray 7.

Now ift-he'nser wants to accessto the interior of the wardrobe and back structure, he merely opens the hasp faSteners-QT," and the wardrobe section is thenfree-to be s wung spew into the Fig.6 position'justas a doer 'can be 1 freely swung on its hinges; a? This-is true by I ia reason of the fact that the bottom of the wardrobe section is always free from engagement with the floor. Of course, if the cover sections 11 and 18 are equipped with dowel devices, as shown, to take the stress off from the cover hinges, then, the cover must first be elevated as shown in Fig. 12, and supported by the break joint arm 21, before the wardrobe section can be opened.

Suppose the owner wished to leave the room and wanted to protect the contents of the trunk from theft, he would simply close the wardrobe section 22, close and lock the cover with lock 20, and the entire contents of the trunk would be protected without closing the stabilizing section.

At this point it is desired to emphasize the fact that with the drawers 2 to 6, and the cover sections, alldisposed on the back structure, and in view of the fact that the stabilizing section is in engagement with the fioor, the great preponderance of weight is carried by the back structure as compared to the weight of the wardrobe section. This disposition of the weight very greatly facilitates stabilization of the trunk.

When the trunk is to be fully closed and locked for transit, the wardrobe section will first be closed to the position shown in Fig. l, and the hasps 27 fastened, then, the cover will be closed and locked, and finally the lower or primary section will be closed as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and locked, as will now be clear.

It will now be clear that the hinge unctures of the cover sections 11 and 18 are in offset relation to the juncture of the wardrobe section and the back structure, which is a strengthening feature in addition to the dowel connection.

By reason of the fact that the primary or stabilizing opening section encloses the wardrobe extension shell, and because the walls 33 and 35 thereof extend past the meeting juncture of the wardrobe and stabilizing sections, no dust or dirt can find access to the interior of the trunk, as will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 7.

The slanting edges 31 and -15 and 32 and 46, greatly facilitate the operation of opening and closing the primary lower section as compared with a structure in which these edges were disposed on straight horizontal lines, although I do not consider the slanting edges absolutely essential to my invention.

It is believed that the device of my invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and while I have herein shown one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim:

1. A wardrobe trunk comprising a back structure, an opening structure hinged to swing about a substantially vertical axis on said back structure and composed of a plurality of superposed and independently movable sections. the uppermost of said sections being a wardrobe section and having a shell extension projecting downwardly therefrom and the lowermost of said sections being hollow and shaped to enclose said shell extension when said sections are closed against said back structure.

2. A wardrobe trunk comprising a back structure, an opening structure hinged to swing about a vertical axis on said back structure and composed of wardrobe and stabilizing sections, said wardrobe section having a shell extension projecting downwardly, said stabilizing section having an open top and an upright enclosing wall and a bottom wall and adapted to enclose said shell and fit flush with said back structure and said wardrobe section, when said sections are closed against said back structure.

3. A wardrobe trunk comprising a back structure, an opening structure hinged to swing about a vertical axis on said back structure and composed of an upper wardrobe section and a lower stabilizing section with abutting walls adapted to fit flush, said wardrobe section having a metal shell extending downwardly inside said stabilizing section to provide a full height wardrobe space.

i. A wardrobe trunk comprising a back structure, an opening structure hinged to swing on said back structure and composed of an upper wardrobe section having a down wardly projecting extension whereby said wardrobe section will substantially completely close said back structure when swung thereagainst, means for locking said wardrobe section to said back structure to render both inaccessible from the exterior, and a lower stabilizing section hinged to swing into an open position or into a closed position against said back structure and in enclosing relation about said extension.

5. A wardrobe trunk comprising a back structure having a series of drawers, an opening structure hinged to swing on said back structure and composed of an upper wardroLe section and a lower stabilizing section independently movable, said wardrobe section having a downward extension whereby said section may substantially completely close said back structure and said section against access from the exterior thereof, and said wardrobe section having means for engaging the drawers of said back structure to hold said drawers in closed positions, and a lower enclosing section adapted to be swung against saidback structure and in enclosing relation about said extension.

6. A wardrobe trunk comprising, a back structure, containing a lower drawer, a container releasably mounted on the front face of said drawer and projecting outwardly therefrom, and an upper wardrobe section hinged to close against said back structure lOU and having a lower shell extension closing against and about said bottom drawer in such surrounding spaced relation about said container as to permit lower portions of hanging garments to depend into the space between said container and shell.

7. A wardrobe trunk comprising, a back structure containing a series of drawers, a container mounted on the front face of one of said drawers, and a wardrobe section hinged to said-back structure to close against the latter and in such surrounding spaced relation to said container as to permit the hanging garments to be disposed between said container and said wardrobe section.

8. A wardrobe trunk comprising, a backstructure, an opening section hinged to close and be locked against said back structure free from the floor and render the interior of said back structure and opening section inaccessible from the exterior, and a lower stabilizing section hinged to said back structure to engage the floor and adapted to be swung into a position to stabilize the trunk irrespective ofthe position of said opening section.

9. A wardrobe trunk comprising, a back structure, an upper opening section hinged to said back structure free from engagement with the floor to be closed against said structure to render the latter and said section inaccessible from the exterior or beopened to render each accessible, and a lower stabilizing section hinged to said back structure to engage the floor and beadjusted into a stabilizing position irrespective of the position of said opening section, and means for preventing said stabilizing section from being moved out of a stabilizing position.

10. A wardrobe trunk comprising, a back structure, an opening section hinged to said back structure and provided with an open top, a sectional cover hinged to said back structure for closing the top of the latter and the open top of said opening section, the junctures of said sectional cover being in offset relation to the juncture of said back structure and opening section, and the sections of said cover having structural connection with said back structure and opening section when said cover is in a closed position, and means for locking one section of the coverto said opening section. ,7 I

In witness whereof, I hereby aflix my signature. 7

GEORGE P. CRAGIN. 

